A very special birthday!

We were touched when a mother from the U.S. contacted us regarding her son's 1st birthday. In lieu of gifts for her 1-year old, the mother has asked party guests to help one of our orphan families. She contacted us and asked for ideas of a specific family who really needed help. We suggested Olga (FA194) and her siblings, as they are all orphaned. The mother sent out invitations explaining how to donate for these orphans through Mayan Families. We thought it was a very compassionate and generous idea, so we just wanted to share it with you!

This is not the first time we've had people use their birthdays as gift offerings for Mayan Families. We are touched by everyone who has shared their birthday wishes with families here in Guatemala! What a great way to begin teaching children the gift of giving at a young age!

Visiting homes of sponsored students.

This is the face of poverty.
This is the reason we work so hard to help the students that we sponsor and their families.
These are very hard conditions to live with.
It takes such a little amount of money to be able to help lift people out of living in these conditions.
An onil stove costs $170 US.
A double bed with a mattress costs $170 US.
Cement floors can replace these dirt floors.
Roofs can be replaced so that the rain will not come in during the wet season and turn the dirt floors into mud.
Bring a group to volunteer, raise money to put in stoves...come alone, bring a friend, bring a lot of friends...we are happy to have you and the people who live in these conditions will be very, very happy to see you.

Happy kids at the Mayan Families Panajachel Pre-school!

The children at the Mayan Families Pre-school, Caritas Sonadoras, received their school supplies this week.
There is going to be a lot of pasting, coloring and fun going on at the pre-school!
The children have two meals, learn to get into the habit of brushing their teeth, take a vitamin tablet, get health check ups and get a head start on their education before they go to school.

Mayan Families visit to the Tierra Linda Preschool

We visited the Mayan Families pre-school in Tierra Linda this week.
It is the first week back for the students and the first week for many children to come for the very first time.  So there are a few tears and anxiety for the children who have never been away from their parents before but all the wonderful toys and the good food make the adjustment a lot easier.

If you would like to sponsor a child to go to one of our preschools....please go to
http://www.mayanfamilies.org/SponsoraStudent  
There are many children waiting to be sponsored!

Manuel and Santiago

Hi Everyone,
Manuel (A25) and Santiago (A75) are both in need of water filters. They cannot afford to buy purified water. A filter costs $63 and will give the family clean water for up to two years, when the filter will need to be replaced (for just $44). We have used these filters with many families and even our own Mayan Families staff and can attest to the clean, fresh water that these filters provide. Please consider giving a filter to these gentlemen today!
If you would like to make a one-time donation,please visit the Elderly Care Blog at:
http://mayanfamilieselderlycare.blogspot.com/2012/01/please-help-manuel-and-santiago-have.html

Thank you!

Chukmuk Guatemala Preschool students need sponsorship!

Hi Everyone,
New Chukmuk preschool/nutrition center Students needing Sponsorship are Listed.

These children are all from very poor families and many of them are malnourished.

You can see their photos and read their bios at the following 2 websites.

http://www.mayanfamilies.org/SponsoraStudent
or
http://mayanfamiliesconnectionguatemala.blogspot.com/2011/10/mayan-families-sponsor-student-program.html

Please continue to spread the word to help find sponsors for these children.

I am happy to let you know that all the previous preschool children that were listed earlier have now found sponsors!

There are still older students hoping for sponsorship and
#944 Rosa Lucia who lost her sponsor and needs sponsorship to continue 9th grade is still hoping to find a sponsor.
Here is her direct link for her sponsorship.
http://www.mayanfamilies.org/sponsorastudent?id=944

Thank you for spreading the word.

Maria Rosario in Guatemala

Maria Rosario is a mother of 3 girls who are sponsored by Mayan Families. She lives in San Jorge La Laguna with her husband and daughters.

The family owns a house in San Jorge, however last year during the rainy season, part of the land in front of the house fell and now the room they use as a kitchen is on the edge of a cliff. They are afraid that the house won't survive the next rainy season that is coming in few months, so they want to build a retaining wall.

Our construction staff visited the house and confirmed that without the wall the house will probably fall off the cliff.

The family will provide the labor, however, they cannot afford to buy the material, so they came to us for help. The material to build the wall cost $840.

For more information on how to help Maria Rosario and her family to keep her house safe, please visit:

http://familyaidprogram.blogspot.com/2012/01/house-at-risk-of-falling-down.html

Thank you!